Latehar: Nine armed poachers were arrested in Jharkhand’s Palamau Tiger Reserve on Wednesday, an official said.
Among the items seized from them were eight country-made guns, 400 gram of gunpowder, 14 gram of sulfur, a tiger trap, a noose, an axe, and animal parts, he said.
Two suspected poachers were arrested from the reserve on Sunday. Based on information provided by them, two more poachers were arrested on Monday, and one Sarfaraj Miyan, who used to supply explosives and gunpowder, was arrested on Tuesday.
The latest arrests were made from different parts of the reserve following the interrogation of Sarfaraj Miyan, the official said.
A search is on for 13 more poachers whom Sarfaraj Miyan has supplied gunpowder and explosives over the years, he said.
“The security of the reserve has been strengthened,” PTR deputy director Prajesh Kant Jena said.
Those arrested admitted that they had killed a tiger at Chandwa Chattan in the Garu forest area of the reserve 10 years back, he said.
“They also hunted wild boars, deer and other animals in the reserve. We are trying to find if they have any international links,” he added.
Jena said that during interrogation, Sarfaraj Miyan named one Tapeshwer Singh to whom he supplied gunpowder.
“Based on this information, a forest team conducted a raid at Singh’s residence around 3 am and arrested him. Singh named 10 poachers during questioning. Subsequently, two teams were formed, and the remaining persons were arrested,” he said.
The PTR is spread over 1,129.93 sq km, of which 414.08 sq km is designated as the core area, a critical tiger habitat, and the remaining 715.85 sq km is the buffer zone.
Out of the total area, 226.32 sq km is designated as Betla National Park, and in the buffer zone, 53 sq km is open for tourists.
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